Deadline Extended for Award Nominations

Because of increased interest, the deadline for submitting nominations for the Fernando Awards has been extended to July 22, organizers said Tuesday.

After the Fernando Monument was erected last month in Warner Park, the organization received a number of requests to participate in the award process and the original July 1 nomination deadline proved to be too soon to handle the demand for applications, Fernando Award Inc. officials said.

For people wishing to make nominations, “there are very comprehensive packages they have to complete,” said Lee Kanon Alpert, the organization’s president, “They have to fill out questionnaires, put together biographies of their volunteerism and get pictures together. And they frankly didn’t have time to finish them.”

Organizers said they expect to receive 40 to 50 nomination packages before the new deadline, double the usual number.

The monument, a 19-foot marble and bronze obelisk, was dedicated June 13 to the spirit of volunteerism in the San Fernando Valley. The Fernando Award itself was established in 1958 to recognize individuals in the Valley who consistently displayed acts of volunteerism in their community.

The nominations will be reviewed by a panel of former winners, Fernando Award Inc. board members, patrons and benefactors. Five finalists will be announced at a luncheon in August, and the 38th annual Fernando Award winner will be honored at a black-tie dinner in November.

Nomination packages may be ordered by calling Lisa Krimm at (818) 881-5000.